Is this allowed?

denishurley

At the moment, I'm practising at the range with a headcover beyond the ball as I look at it, trying to promote an in-to-in swing path.

If, out on the course, I were to tee up very close to the right-hand markers in order to bring about something similar, is that cheating? So many of the rules involve intent that I'm wondering if this would fall under that?

Boskowski

No, I use helpers on the course all the time, like a speck in front of the ball to line myself up for example. Or if an old tee happens to lie there just in front of the markers. I can tee it up that way that its perfectly in line with my intended target. You can use 'natural' markers all the time to help your game, you just can't put them there yourself.

stockdam

No it's not cheating.

FixdePitchmark

Not sure,

Doesn't seem right to me.

14-3.

Except as provided in the Rules, during a stipulated round the player must not use any artificial device or unusual equipment (see Appendix IV for detailed specifications and interpretations), or use any equipment in an unusual manner:
a. That might assist him in making a stroke or in his play; or
b. For the purpose of gauging or measuring distance or conditions that might affect his play; or
c. That might assist him in gripping the club, except that:
(i) gloves may be worn provided that they are plain gloves;
(ii) resin, powder and drying or moisturising agents may be used; and
(iii) a towel or handkerchief may be wrapped around the grip.

stockdam

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Not sure,

Doesn't seem right to me.

14-3.

Except as provided in the Rules, during a stipulated round the player must not use any artificial device or unusual equipment (see Appendix IV for detailed specifications and interpretations), or use any equipment in an unusual manner:
a. That might assist him in making a stroke or in his play; or
b. For the purpose of gauging or measuring distance or conditions that might affect his play; or
c. That might assist him in gripping the club, except that:
(i) gloves may be worn provided that they are plain gloves;
(ii) resin, powder and drying or moisturising agents may be used; and
(iii) a towel or handkerchief may be wrapped around the grip.

You can align yourself to anything that is part of the course, on the horizon etc.

You cannot move, say, a twig and use that but you can use two daisies, a mark on the grass, the tee marker, a tree in the distance etc.

Boskowski

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Not sure,

Doesn't seem right to me.

14-3.

Except as provided in the Rules, during a stipulated round the player must not use any artificial device or unusual equipment (see Appendix IV for detailed specifications and interpretations), or use any equipment in an unusual manner:
a. That might assist him in making a stroke or in his play; or
b. For the purpose of gauging or measuring distance or conditions that might affect his play; or
c. That might assist him in gripping the club, except that:
(i) gloves may be worn provided that they are plain gloves;
(ii) resin, powder and drying or moisturising agents may be used; and
(iii) a towel or handkerchief may be wrapped around the grip.

I think the word is equipment. A tee marker is part of the course and not part of yours or anyones equipment.

SaveOurLyric

Not cheating as far as I can see. Tee marker is not 'equipment' Fix. Equipment is clearly defined as the stuff you or your caddy bring carry with you.

PARlance

denishurley wrote: »

At the moment, I'm practising at the range with a headcover beyond the ball as I look at it, trying to promote an in-to-in swing path.

If, out on the course, I were to tee up very close to the right-hand markers in order to bring about something similar, is that cheating? So many of the rules involve intent that I'm wondering if this would fall under that?

Not in the slightest, but they're less forgiving than head covers

denishurley

PARlance wrote: »

Not in the slightest, but they're less forgiving that head covers

FixdePitchmark

Sorry lads , was thinking headcover was in the mix.

Lads do that all the time - you look cool doing it or a tool
One day I hope to be able to do that .

Maybe someone else knows this, if you hit marker and it moved - what next
Is that a penalty.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/sports/golf/04parrule.html?_r=0

DuckSlice

Am I the only one that doesn't know what an "in to in" swing path is? Surely you mean "in-out"???

ShivasIrons

Just a little word about having 'cheating' in the title of the thread.

Cheating is knowingly breaking a rule to gain an advantage.

There is also inadvertingly breaking a rule which happens particularly when a player isn't aware of the rule, the two situations are worlds apart.

Perhaps it would be better to frame the question as 'Does this contravine the Rules of Golf?'.

Keano

Changed the thread tile Shiva - you are spot on.

loadwire

ShivasIrons wrote: »

Just a little word about having 'cheating' in the title of the thread.

Cheating is knowingly breaking a rule to gain an advantage.

There is also inadvertingly breaking a rule which happens particularly when a player isn't aware of the rule, the two situations are worlds apart.

Perhaps it would be better to frame the question as 'Does this contravine the Rules of Golf?'.

Reminds me of an incident between Seve and Azinger during a foursomes match at the Kiawah Island 91 Ryder cup. There was a great clip somewhere with Seve himself telling the story but this article has the bones of it.

While he was hardly the first or the last opponent to accuse Azinger of bending the rules, Seve got into another highly public confrontation with the American two years later at Kiawah Island. In their foursomes match against Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, Azinger was playing a 100-compression ball and partner Chip Beck a 90, but the Americans conveniently switched balls on a par-three hole.
The television cameras captured much of the ensuing argument, and when Azinger insisted he and Beck were "not trying to cheat", Ballesteros sarcastically replied, "Oh, no! Breaking the rules and cheating are two different things."

Roger_007

loadwire wrote: »

Reminds me of an incident between Seve and Azinger during a foursomes match at the Kiawah Island 91 Ryder cup. There was a great clip somewhere with Seve himself telling the story but this article has the bones of it.

While he was hardly the first or the last opponent to accuse Azinger of bending the rules, Seve got into another highly public confrontation with the American two years later at Kiawah Island. In their foursomes match against Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, Azinger was playing a 100-compression ball and partner Chip Beck a 90, but the Americans conveniently switched balls on a par-three hole.
The television cameras captured much of the ensuing argument, and when Azinger insisted he and Beck were "not trying to cheat", Ballesteros sarcastically replied, "Oh, no! Breaking the rules and cheating are two different things."

I don't understand that story at all. In a foursomes, each player players with his partners ball every other hole anyway. Therefore they are effectively 'switching' the ball they play with on every hole. I don't understand what Seve was complaining about?

loadwire

Roger_007 wrote: »

I don't understand that story at all. In a foursomes, each player players with his partners ball every other hole anyway. Therefore they are effectively 'switching' the ball they play with on every hole. I don't understand what Seve was complaining about?

The alternate balls rule only came in 10 years ago or so - back then the rule (for that level) was that you should play with a single type of ball, like an individual player would.

Lazzeron

What goes on in your mind is your business.
It all sounds perfectly fine to me.

slave1

Watching a guy on Golf Channel last night and he was using a tee (i.e. in the ground a bit ahead of a teed up ball) as an alignment aid and said this was allowed in a round of golf, surprised by this...

FixdePitchmark

slave1 wrote: »

Watching a guy on Golf Channel last night and he was using a tee (i.e. in the ground a bit ahead of a teed up ball) as an alignment aid and said this was allowed in a round of golf, surprised by this...

Now - I would consider this an "unusual use of equipment".

A Tee is for.........................................................................

Lads may try justify it all they want - but if someone started using a tee to line up - sorry , next.

stockdam

slave1 wrote: »

Watching a guy on Golf Channel last night and he was using a tee (i.e. in the ground a bit ahead of a teed up ball) as an alignment aid and said this was allowed in a round of golf, surprised by this...

If it's been left by somebody else then that's fine as long as the somebody else didn't deliberately leave it for you. You can't put a tee in the ground yourself and use it for alignment.